Silo.



A. M. GRIFFIN.

SILO.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.8. I9I4.

I Patented July 6, 1915.

'2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVAII M. GRIFFIN, or KANSAS CITY,MIssOURI, ASSIGNOR To J. L. JONES MANUFAC- TURINe COMPANY, or KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION or LOUISIANA.

lSILO.

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, yALVAH M. GRIFIN,

' or other outhouse;

Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missournhave invented certain new and useful lImprovements in Silos, of which the following is a specification.A f

This invention relates to wood stave silos and my primary objects are threefold, to produce a wood stave silo which will stand up against wind `pressure as well as a barn which cannot fall to staves, and in which the staves are compelled through the expansion thereof, to return to normal relation after having been spaced apart more Orless through shrink-` a e. i

gA further object is to produce a silo possessing the desirable qualities mentioned, which can be quickly and therefore cheaply erected by unskilled labor, and which is of light weight and hencek can be shipped cheaply.

lVith these objects in,v View the Linvention consists in certain novel and4 peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described Iand pointed out in the'appendedvv claims; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be hadto the accompanying drawings, in

which A Figure 1,.is a front elevation of a silo embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a horizontal section on the line IIT-1I of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line III-#III of Fig. `2. Fig. 4, is a section ontheline IV-IV of Fig. l1.v Fig. 5, is a section on the line V-V of Fig..1.l Fig. 6, isy an enlargedl section ontheflinef.`

VL-VI of F ig. l. Fig. 7, is a sectional perspective View of a part lof the silo. i y l In the said drawings, 1 's al rectangular frame, arranged horizontally and mounted upon four corner standards 2, and braced from said Supports byl braces` 3.` At one side j Vthe frame is provided withan opening fl,

braces,

between the upper end of adjacent and; at the margins of the openinglthe adj acent side portions of the frame-are secured to a pair of upright -bars`5 constituting the ,sides of the door` frame of thesilo.

The horizontal Specification of Letters Patent.

l. Stops or frame Is stlffened by corr' ner braces 6 and Vthemfram'e is anchored rmly to the groundfby thefastening .0f .its standards Or legs to posts 7 embedded in the Patented July 6, 191.5.

` Application filed August 8, 1914. Serial No. 855,939. y

ground ,and securely anchored by cross pieces 8 at their lower ends, it being lunderstood that the pieces `S should be buried several feet below the `,surface of theground.

9 1s an angle iron ring encircling thesilo and restingupon the rectangular frame, and overlapping and .bolted or otherwise fastenedgat 9L to the base or horizontal flange of said ring (see Fig. l) are angle plates 10 bolted as at 11 to the anchorage frame. The connection between the ring and angle plates and between'the latter and the vanchorage i frame guards against the latter bulging outward by warpage or otherwise. y

The silo proper is composed of staves 12, tongued and grooved together, the staves being arranged `to form almost a' complete cylinder, and the .two staves which .are

spaced apartl are nailed or otherwise se-r curely fastened to the door frame -bars 5, as will -be yreadily understood by reference to Figs. 2 and 6, the staves beingffitted against the inner side oftheringy 9. i y e TheY` horizontal flange of the angle ringat a suitable distance from eachend thereof, is cut ,offv and the ends of said flange are then bent upto form stops or shoulders ladapted under sufficient contraction of the silo to abut against the outer edges of the bars 5 and :thus tend to limit `such contracting action. The ends of the vertical flange of said ringvterrninate in,l outwardly bent stops or shoulders la adapted under sufficient expansion of the` silo tol abut against the `inneredges of the said bars. kThe spacebetweeny said shoulders therefore representsthe lat-- eral displacement or movement that is possible for the interposed bar 5 to have` under the expansive and contractive actions .of the silo.

In @rde'rfthat thesavesfwhich mias! triangular braces 16, as the staves are prac-` ytened as hereinbefore mentioned to bars 5,

shoulders 13 may be braced by tically suspended iup. onthe angle ironring 9,A all egcept the` twofastened to vthe V. bars 5 bein'gxprO-Vided ywith a down-turned clip or saddle plate 17, which ts slidingly upon and over the vertical flange of the said ring as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 most clearly, it being understood of course that a silo erected as described and largely suspended upon the ring needs no special foundation or special leveling of ground, it being made airtight at the bottom if desired by banking up loose earth against it.

Fitting at suitable intervals between and fastened to the bars 5 are horizontal cross pieces 18, which form effective braces against approaching movement of said bars, spreading or receding movement of the bars being prevented by cross rods 19 which extend through the bars 5, and are engaged at their extremities by nuts 20. The cross bars 18 serve as supports for brackets 21 which constitute rungs of a ladder to enable one to climb the silo.

lVhere the silo is of such height that it is necessary to use two or more staves fitted together endwise, as is usually the case, I preferably provide the abutting ends of the staves with bifurcations 22 for the reception of the ends of plates 23 which correspond substantially with the width of the staves and bridge the joint between abutting endsl as indicated in Fig. 5. By this construction it is not necessary to employ any metal on the inside of the silo.

Cooperating with what I term the suspension ring, are two additional rings 24, one below and the other above the central ring. These rings are preferably in the form of split rings. They encircle the silo and their' ends extend slidingly through bars 5, the connection with the staves being by virtue of a series of tubular clips 25 through which the rings extend slidingly, provided with flat bases 26 through which screws or equivalent devices extend to fasten the clips to the staves.

As thus far described it will be seen that the staves are practically free in contracting to separate along their side edges but that upon reexpanding they will resume their original relation and produce tight joints along their side edges, the bands obviously holding them in vertical position.

To guard against unrestrained expansion and to cooperate with the three rings in maintaining the staves vertical and to materially assist in preventing the staves from buckling outward .or twisting between said rings, a series of wire cable hoops 27 tightly encircle the staves and are secured at their ends to eye bolts 28, which extend through the bars 5 and are engaged at the inner sides of the latter by nuts 29, the hoops being prevented from slipping up and down by tubular clips 30, secured to an occasional stave, said clips being the same structurally as the ,clips 25. Preferably the ends of the hoops are looped through the eyes of the bolts 28,

and clamps 31 are employed to adjustably secure the hoo-ps against slippage, so that the hoops can be used to take up any undue shrinkage which may occur during an excessive long hot season when the silo is empty. Of course if the silo is full there will be no shrinkage or expansion which will not be accommodated automatically by the floating action of the staves upon the suspension band and the two cooperating bands.

The connections between the ring 9 and the angle plates 10 guard against any possibility of the sides of the angular .frame l warping outwardly and thereby withdrawing the support of the frame from under the ring, it being equally obvious that through such connection shrinkage of the silo must be attended by shrinkage or inward bowing of the sides of said frame so that whatever the condition of the silo the ring will always remain supported by the anchorage frame and-hence through its connection with the clips 17, will guard against collapse of the silo or the falling in of the staves thereof.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a silo embodying the features of advantage enumerated as desirable, and I wish it to be understood that while I have illustrated and described what I now deem thev preferred embodiment of the same I reserve the right to make all changes falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a silo a cylindrical body embodying vertical staves fitting edgewise together and provided externally with saddle clips, and a broken ring snugly embracing the silo and bearing a slidable relation thereto and fitting under and forming a support for the said saddle clips and means for supporting said broken ring.

2. In a silo, a cylindrical body embodying vertical staves fitting edgewise together and provided externally with saddle clips, a broken ring snugly embracing the silo and bearing a slidable relation thereto and litting under and forming a support for the lsaid saddle clips and means for supporting sa.id"brolren ring; in combination with a plurality of auxiliary broken rings embracing the silo above and below the first-named ring and slidably connected to the silo to permit the same to expand and contract freely.

3. In a silo, a cylindrical body embodying vertical staves itting edgewise together and provided externally with saddle clips, a broken ring snugly embracing the silo and bearing a slidable relation thereto and litting under and forming a support for the said saddle clips and meansi-for supporting said broken rings; in combination with a plurality of auxiliary broken rings embracing the silo above and below the first-named provided externally withf saddle clips, a broken ring snugly embracing the silo and bearing a slidable relation thereto and fit-v ting under and forming -a support for the ,said saddle clips and means for supporting said broken ring; in combination with a plurality of auxiliary broken rings embracing the silo .above and below .the first-named ring, and slidably connected. to individual I staves of the silo externally of the latter and preventing twisting or, warping of the staves without interfering with lateral expansion and contraction thereof..

GQ Ina siloa cylindrical body embodying vertical stavesfarranged edgewise together, a pair of'vertical bars spaced apart and rigidly secured to two of the staves, means for holding the bars in rigid yrelation to'each other, a plurality ofhoops embracing the silo `and secured to`` said bars, a suitably supported broken ring embracing the silo and bearing a sliding relation to said bars, saddle clips secured to vcertain ofthe ystaves and fitting slidingly over and upon said ring, a

vpair of above and below the first-named ring and broken rings 'embracing the silo bearing a sliding relation to the vertical bars, and clips secured to certain vof the staves and fitting slidingly on the said pair of rings. f u

'7. In a silo, a cylindrical body, embodying vertical staves fitting edgewise together'and provided externally with saddle clips, a pair of vertical bars spaced apart and secured to two of said staves, means for 'holding the bars in rigid relation to each other, a broken ring embracing the silo and bearing a sliding relation to said bars and provided inward and outward of the latter with shoulders for abutment against the said bars to limit expansion and contraction of the silo, and fitting slidingly under'the said saddle Copies of this patent may be obtained for silo to and means for slidingly supporting the silo ony said ring.`

5. In a silo,'a cylindricalbody,embodyingy. vertical staves fitting edgewise together andy clips as asupport for the stavesiequipped u and means for supportingy the said y therewith broken ring. Y vu 8. In ,a silo an anchorage comprising standards, the standards, a broken a horizontal frame mounted` uponk ring carried by 'said frame, a cylindrical body fitting snugly the frame andcomposed of a pair ofvertical bars spaced apart and a plurality of vertical e i i staves fitting edgewise together, the bars fitting slidingly on said ring and certain of having saddle clips resting Aon,

said staves and fitting down over said ring, and provided above and below. the ring with clips,

and broken rings extending slidingly through said clips and slidingly secured to said bars.` v`

9.v In a silo, an anchorage` comprising j standards, a horizontal frame mountedzupon f l the standards, a broken ringcarried byv said frame, acylindrical body fitting `snugly in tical bars 'spaced apart and a plurality, overticalfstaves fitting edgewise together, the

bars fitting, slidingly" on said ring and ceri 85, i

tain of said staves havingsaddle clips resting on y provided abovel and'.k below vthe `ring with clips, through said clips andslidinglysecured to said bars` means orsecuring the `barsinv embracing the silo rigidrelation, andv hoops p l and connected to'said bars to preventl undue expansion of the silo..I

10. In a silo, an ancho-rage comprising standards, a horizontal frame mounted `upon the standards., a'broken ring .carried by said frame, a cylindrical' body fittingsnugly in the frame, and composed ofy a pair of vertical bars spaced'apart and a plurality of verv tical staves fitting edgewise together,` the bars fitting'slidingly on said ring and certain of said staves-having saddle clips rest? ing on and fitting down over said ring, and provided above and below the'ring with clips, broken Arings extending v slidingly through said clips'and lslidingly secured to' 'said bars, means for securing the bars iny rigid relation, hoops embracing the silo and connected to Said bars to prevent undue exf IIO 'l end with a pairlof n l' i pansion of the silo, the first-named ring be,

ing provided at each and fitting down over said ring, and` broken rings` extending slidinglyt the frame,iand composed of a pair of ver-V` shoulders adapted to limit or check expand ing and contracting or shrinking of` thesilo,

In testimony whereo,I affix my signature,

in the presence of two witnesses. l e

' ALVAH` MGRIFFIN. p

Witnesses: W. I-I. GRANT, G. Y. THORPE.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

